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Brittany [Visitor] in response to: ДушаSat, 21 Sep 2013 21:57:14 +0000Brittany[Visitor]c3038@http://shininghappypeople.net/rwotd/<p>Thank you so much for these posts! These posts are extremely helpful and I love the multiple examples to show how the word can be used in a variety of different ways. I do have a quick question, in the last example (эта книга была мне не по душе) why is по used? Thanks!</p>
<blockquote><p><i>Don responds:</i> «По» has a thousand uses, and one of them is a kind of measuring meaning. Thus «Машина мне не по карману» means “The car is too expensive for me” (~The car is not according to my pocket) or «Сухое вино мне не по вкусу» mean “I don&#8217;t care for dry wine” (~White wine is not according to my taste). If you want a bit of amusement, look up the phrase «не по зубам».</p></blockquote>Thank you so much for these posts! These posts are extremely helpful and I love the multiple examples to show how the word can be used in a variety of different ways. I do have a quick question, in the last example (эта книга была мне не по душе) why is по used? Thanks!

Don responds: «По» has a thousand uses, and one of them is a kind of measuring meaning. Thus «Машина мне не по карману» means “The car is too expensive for me” (~The car is not according to my pocket) or «Сухое вино мне не по вкусу» mean “I don’t care for dry wine” (~White wine is not according to my taste). If you want a bit of amusement, look up the phrase «не по зубам».

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Richard [Visitor] in response to: ДушаThu, 19 Sep 2013 19:55:11 +0000Richard[Visitor]c3037@http://shininghappypeople.net/rwotd/<p>Another very interesting post. Thanks!</p>
<p>In English we say &#8220;a cat has nine lives". Would the Russians say &#8220;у котá есть дéвять душ?</p>
<blockquote><p><i>Don responds:</i> Richard, alas, no, not as far as I know. I&#8217;ve been told that «живуч как кошка» is a near equivalent, but so far I don&#8217;t think I believe it.</p></blockquote>Another very interesting post. Thanks!

In English we say “a cat has nine lives". Would the Russians say “у котá есть дéвять душ?

Don responds: Richard, alas, no, not as far as I know. I’ve been told that «живуч как кошка» is a near equivalent, but so far I don’t think I believe it.

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Roberta [Visitor] in response to: ДушаThu, 19 Sep 2013 00:41:42 +0000Roberta[Visitor]c3036@http://shininghappypeople.net/rwotd/<p>Surely &#8220;душа&#8221; in Russian has much more resonance culturally than &#8220;soul&#8221; does in English. I want a dissertation on &#8220;the Russian душа", please.</p>
<blockquote><p><i>Don responds:</i> Alas, time does not permit me to write a dissertation on душа this semester&#8230; nor probably next. However I welcome guest writers on occasion, so if anyone would like to do a little writing&#8230;</p></blockquote>Surely “душа” in Russian has much more resonance culturally than “soul” does in English. I want a dissertation on “the Russian душа", please.

Don responds: Alas, time does not permit me to write a dissertation on душа this semester… nor probably next. However I welcome guest writers on occasion, so if anyone would like to do a little writing…

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olimo [Visitor] in response to: ДушаThu, 19 Sep 2013 00:05:21 +0000olimo[Visitor]c3035@http://shininghappypeople.net/rwotd/<p>There is a curious thing. One of the ways to say, for example, &#8220;There is nobody in the room&#8221; in Russian is &#8220;В комнате ни души". &#8220;No soul&#8221; instead of &#8220;no body&#8221; :-)</p>
<blockquote><p><i>Don responds:</i> Indeed. In these contexts душа merely means ‘person.’</p></blockquote>There is a curious thing. One of the ways to say, for example, “There is nobody in the room” in Russian is “В комнате ни души". “No soul” instead of “no body” :-)